1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a water purifier.
2. Description of the Related Art
In a conventional water purifier having a filter for removing minute inorganic material, organic material, residual chlorine, etc. which exist in waterworks, in order to suppress breeding of microorganisms in the filter, an electrically conductive filter is used to act as a first electrode, with a second opposite electrode disposed in a water flow channel in the water purifier. A voltage is continuously applied between both electrodes by a battery.
The inventors have studied carefully the breeding of microorganisms in a the filter and have found that the breeding of microorganisms, such as bacteria, tends to occur when water stagnates in the filter.
In other words, the breeding of microorganisms in the filter tends to occur when water stagnates in the filter, but it hardly occurs when water flows through the water purifier.
A problem found by the inventors in connection with the conventional water purifier is that the constant application of a voltage of a battery between the electrodes causes consumption of the battery and makes it difficult to assure long-term use of the battery.
Another problem found by the inventors, in connection with the water purifier having a voltage applied between the electrodes therein, is that in addition to the fact that a decrease in the battery voltage to be applied reduces the effect of suppressing the breeding of microorganisms, consumption of the battery can not be checked externally and the user can not decide whether exchange of the battery due to consumption thereof is needed or not.